Packaging aimed at specific markets such as pharma, spirits and beauty, not only require special shapes and effects, but also the guarantee of absence of interaction with their contents. In this article we take a look at Glass Surface Technology’s patented solutions are used to purify and protect packaging and contents.
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Glass Surface Technology was founded by glass and packaging expert Christophe Wagner, who put together a team of experts, including machine conception and glass surface treatments specialists.
The company develops and applies surface pre-treatments and innovative coatings to protect, functionalise and highlight inner glass and plastic packaging. These features are especially requested by the pharmaceutical and beauty sectors, both looking for safe and neutral packaging that protects products and users and offer new solutions and allow new designs.
ISD© INNER SURFACE DESIGN
Glass Surface Technology has, in particular, developed ISD© Inner Surface Design, with patented solutions to purify and protect packaging to limit interactions between the packaging and the contents. These solutions can also functionalise and enhance pharmaceutical and beauty packaging.
The R&D and production workshop is located in Limoges, close to the European Ceramic Cluster. With more than 400m2, the company’s new premises allow to increase R&D capabilities and invest in production capacity. Glass Surface Technology has patented new technologies to purify and protect packaging aimed at limiting interactions between packaging and the contents. The same technologies can also functionalise and enhance pharmaceutical and beauty packaging. The coatings is very precise and works with most shapes, and can also be adapted to others industries such as food packaging, for example.
EXPERTISE
Purify
The principle of this technology is the extraction of the chemical elements potentially released by the glass, before filling the packaging.
Protect
This technology is an innovative application of an inner
barrier coating inside the packaging to limit the interactions between the packaging and the contents.
This technology can be adapted to most glass and plastic packaging for pharmaceutical and beauty industries (and could be adapted to others industries such as food packaging for example).
Functionalise
The composition of the inner barrier coating can be enhanced to obtain dedicated functionalities, such as UV and bacterial protection.
Enhance
The composition of this inner barrier coating can be altered to obtain new visual effects. Combined with the company’s innovative application process, it allows new design possibilities.
This technology can be adapted to most glass and plastic packaging for beauty industries (and could be adapted to other industries such as food packaging or decoration for example).
CONSULTING
Glass Surface Technology provides experienced consulting to find solutions regarding new packaging requirements. Technical expertise involves glass packaging and inner glass surface contact, as well as on glass compositions and their impact.
In addition, assistance can also be supplied in designing accelerated ageing and extraction tests, as well as analysing and comparing the results.
Support in solving packaging issues includes:
- understanding compatibility problem with packaging and finding technical solutions;
- assistance in regulatory compliance;
- accelerated ageing and extractable test design with partners, glass manufacturers and/or laboratories;
- support to comply with regulations, to design the right strategy for the packaging choice and to validate products.
SECTORS OF USE AND APPLICATION
Pharma
The pharmaceutical industry continuously develops new molecules that can be more aggressive and more sensitive to packaging and storage conditions. In turn, the choice of packaging can be quite complex, as it depends on the chemical composition of the product, the glass type, potential leachables.
Understanding and quantifying packaging interactions such as glass delamination risks, for example, as well as including long time storage conditions, are fundamental. Moreover, regulatory requirements are also increasing (cf USP 1660).
Spirits
Coloured coatings, with good compatibility with most spirits, can be used to enhance inner shapes or finely ‘print’ texts and patterns inside the packaging and highlight their details.
Beauty
The new EC cosmetics regulation 1223/2009 requires a better understanding of the interactions between packaging and contents. Cosmetic formulas are more and more sophisticated and ‘fragile’, leading to increased issues regarding stability and product conservation.
At the same time, differentiation is also very important in this ever more competitive market.
With ISD Colour from Glass Surface Technology, coloured coatings can be used to enhance inner shapes with total or graduated, translucent and opaque, metallic colours, along with
special effects such as glitter and pearls…
ISD Draw, on the other hand, enhances containers with finely ‘print’ texts and patterns inside the packaging, highlighting their details.